Menorah Twisted into a Swastika

A family in Phoenix wakes up to find their 7-foot menorah turned into a swastika. The community fights back.

Naomi and Seth Ellis wanted to encourage their young sons to be excited about Chanukah.

“There are not so many Jews in our neighborhood,” Naomi explained in an Aish.com exclusive interview. Looking at all the holiday lights, Naomi’s boys, aged five, seven and nine, wanted to decorate their house with lights “like everyone else”.

Seth and Naomi’s solution: take their Jewish pride and their celebration of Chanukah outside. The couple perched a holiday Star of David on their roof and erected a large outdoor menorah outside their suburban home near Phoenix. The menorah was about seven feet tall, casting its warm light over the Ellis’ yard.

Lighting the menorah outside or next to a window serves to publicize the miracle. The Ellis’ menorah quickly did that, letting the whole community bask in the glow of its light.

“The kids loved it,” Naomi explained, “and the neighbors loved it too… there was lots of support.” The outdoor menorah was so successful, it became an annual tradition for the Ellis family and their community.

But that feeling of acceptance and security was sorely tested last week. On the sixth day of Chanukah, the family woke up to find their menorah had been brutally defaced, twisted into a swastika.

Seth was the first to see the swastika. He was rushing on his way to work, so he texted Naomi, advising her to call the police. “I woke up and looked out and freaked out,” Naomi recalls of the moment she saw the huge swastika outside her house. She burst into tears and called the police. While she waited for the police to arrive, she called her brother in Israel. “He was really supportive,” Naomi recalls. “He said you have to share what happened. You have to let people know.”

When the officers arrived, they helped Naomi take down the massive swastika. “I felt so shocked,” Naomi explained. On one hand, she recalls, she didn’t feel it could be anyone from her street, from her own welcoming community. “It’s hard to imagine it’s even someone from my neighborhood.”

Yet, Naomi notes, she doesn’t live on a major thoroughfare. It would be difficult for someone not familiar with their local streets to be aware of their menorah. Moreover, given the size of the menorah, it must have taken a considerable effort to twist and distort it into a swastika. “It definitely took some effort,” Naomi noted. “They weren’t just randomly doing it.”

“How can people be filled with so much hate and violence?” she posted on social media later that morning; “To think that someone would make such an effort to hurt and vandalize a family, is downright sickening”.

Naomi’s post quickly went viral, shared thousands of times and garnering thousands of comments. Shockingly, many of the these comments were hate-filled anti-Semitic rants. Mixed in with the many messages of support for the Ellises were posts from neo-Nazis and militant Islamists attacking Jews, posting anti-Semitic cartoons and filling her social media post with vile insults.

Instead of retreating into fear and passivity, Naomi resolved to push back against hate and prejudice. She shared pictures of the menorah on social media and asked if people had any information to contact the police. “Previously if I’d felt scared about erecting a menorah, I wouldn’t have put one up. But now we are resolved to keep displaying it. I can’t be a coward.”

When her sons woke up, Naomi showed them pictures of their menorah and tried to explain what had happened. “I told him how relighting the menorah is a symbol of Chanukah, that we have to relight and not let it get us down.”

Seth soon built another menorah, even bigger than the first: nine feet wide and ten feet tall, and Naomi invited their whole community to celebrate with her family as they lit the menorah for the seventh night of Chanukah.

The response was overwhelming. Yeshiva students from the local Chabad school came to be with the family Friday afternoon before Shabbat. Two rabbis from the Ellis’ local synagogue came along with some congregants. Neighbors walked over to be with the Ellises. Finally, at sundown, over a hundred people stood with the Ellises as they lit seven lights on their outdoor menorah. Together, the crowd recited blessings and sang Chanukah songs together.

Naomi calls the defacement of her family’s menorah a “call to action”. She sees it as a spur to “teach empathy and compassion.” “There are a few ignorant people out there but they’re not the greater number,” Naomi has learned.

For her children, she feels the lessons will come later, “as they learn about the Holocaust and the history of the Jewish people, they’ll be able to reflect on what happened to us” and see their own family’s experience with anti-Semitism and intolerance as part of the Jewish people’s as a whole.

The Ellis family looks forward to lighting their beautiful outdoor menorah next Chanukah, sharing the light and warmth of their Jewish heritage with their community once again.

About the Author

Yvette Alt Miller earned her B.A. at Harvard University. She completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Jewish Studies at Oxford University, and has a Ph.D. In International Relations from the London School of Economics. She lives with her family in Chicago, and has lectured internationally on Jewish topics. Her book Angels at the table: a Practical Guide to Celebrating Shabbat takes readers through the rituals of Shabbat and more, explaining the full beautiful spectrum of Jewish traditions with warmth and humor. It has been praised as "life-changing", a modern classic, and used in classes and discussion groups around the world.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 8

(7)
joshua,
February 7, 2017 9:46 PM

anti semitism has nothing to do with the Republican pary

we read the article - it was meaningful. Then one of those liberal jew girls who is ashamed of her judaism, brought the new american president forward as the organizer of anti semitism in usa. how dumb can jews be?? you know who the anti semites are: the semites themselves - jews and arabs. so, stop blaming the white house when it is you yourselves. remember that hitler had jewish blood

(6)
Alan Weininger,
January 6, 2017 2:19 PM

EDUCATION

The only way to combat anti-Semitism is through education in all schools as well in the prisons. I mean by telling people that we Jews are normal people just different beliefs and that Jesus was Jewish.

(5)
Nancy,
January 5, 2017 12:44 PM

This article makes me want to have a Menorah on my lawn

I had previously read this story on Facebook. Disgusting. Re: Trump being good for Israel. That remains to be seen. He says a lot of things and makes a lot of promises. Will he keep his promises? Who knows? The fact that he has a Jewish son-in-law does not impress me one iota. If she wanted to, Trump's daughter could convince her husband to "please put up a Xmas tree for the kids." Ivanka is very smart, in fact I think she is way smarter than her father and brothers. Re: Making aliyah. I REALLY need to get to Israel, since I have never been there.

(4)
Anonymous,
January 4, 2017 5:32 PM

Seth and Naomi some free advice from Australia!

Be Strong and of Good Courage, you intentions are sound you wanted to educate your young sons about Channukah, fantastic, Yasher Koach very admirable!

Let us tell you what happened to our Shule here in Melbourne, Australia.We had a billboard set up outside our Shule/Synagogue in Caulfield, Melbourne. It was defaced and terrible anti - Semitic graffiti sprayed all over it.

One of the members of our Shule's Board stood up at the next Shule executive meeting and said:

"We're not going to cop [Aussie slang for take ] this.Let's put up a bigger billboard, install greater lighting and security and have even a bigger function."

Thank G-d!- it was an even better success.

Please G-d..... next time.....Make a bigger and better Menora next time.Have a Channukah party if possible have friends, relatives etc come to it, Have proper lighting and securityMake this set back and a springboard for bigger and better Jewish participation and Mitzva observance, talk about the Universal message to all faiths and peoples about Channukah,How the few can Please G-d overthrow the oppressive policies against G-d and Torah

(3)
Reuven Frank,
January 4, 2017 8:49 AM

Knew it was coming

I left America for Israel over 35 years ago.A swastika had been painted on a local Jewish Community Center cum Synogogue.I'd been ridiculed and almost mugged for wearing my kippah and Tzitzis and Judaism.It's everywhere now. America too.

Israel may not be the ultimate answer to all problems, but -- aside from some mild nonsense from non-religious Jews -- I never have to worry about my Menorah being outside or taking time off for Shabbos and YomTovor Medical insurance (different topic, but true nevertheless).

It's not going to be safe anywhere but here.I knew it was coming long ago.By 2050, the Americans will know, too.(Witness the mass Aliyah of the French Jews. they saw it in synagogues and desecrations and also had enough.)

There's AN answer (not "the" answer, but)...It's called ISRAEL.

Mike,
January 4, 2017 5:00 PM

agree

Also, Jewish (religious and non-religious) schools are a fraction of the cost in America, if not free.Also, college/university costs a fraction plus you even get a scholarship from the Minhal HaStudentim

(2)
Sister M. Michele S.C.M.C.,
January 3, 2017 7:55 PM

Remain united and steadfast

I once read a story of a home that was attacked for displaying a menorah. The others in the neighborhood who happened to be non-Jews were disgusted with behavior so disrespectful and hateful. In subsequent days, all the other homes on the street displayed a menorah in the window to show the neighbors' solidarity with the Jewish family. Today, Christians and Jews, alike are under violent attack in many parts of the world. Staying united with one another, even if it means suffering with one another will show the rest of the world that we will never abandon our brothers and sisters in their time of need. The power of charity is greater that any other force in the world, and even if it means proving that charity with the sacrifice of one's life, the one who lives or dies out of love witnesses to a greater value than can ever be comprehended in this world. Standing with Israel, actively standing with the suffering and those treated unjustly anywhere in the world sends a message of love and compassion. Like David standing against Goliath, it can be done.Thank you.Sister M. Michele S.C.M.C.

(1)
Anonymous,
January 3, 2017 3:34 PM

A gentile throws in his 2 bits

I and a 67 year old Christian man. I support both Israel's right to exist, and defend itself.I also know there are real "Jew Haters" in the world. I also want to point out another element in this formula - ignorance. If from a Jewish point of view this comment does no good, please feel free to throw it out.As a young boy, several times when I'd here someone with a German accent I would do a Hitler salute. Naturally, as an educated adult today, that loves history, looking back, I am both embarrassed and ashamed. But then, I did not really understand anything about some war, or even who Hitler was or did.Now let's throw in stupid destructive things teenage boys do as pranks, (which I need not go into, since they are notorious for such,) and mixing in the level of ignorance most younger people about even current history, let alone the 1930's, what the swastika represented, and Hitler did to his fellow human beings. Excusable? No! Less painful should this be the motivation? No! But it is a real possibility, and the motivations of such are not hate, but attention. And there are a lot more stupid boys in America than NeoNazis. If so, as a one once young stupid kid, I apologize for such painful and senseless acts as this, and hope my note in some small part moves the emotional needle away from "Fear from Hate" to "Frustration from Stupidity".

I always loved the story of Jonah and the whale. Why do we read it during the afternoon service of Yom Kippur?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Let's recap the story: God tells Jonah to go to Ninveh and to prophesy that in 40 days, God will destroy the city. Instead, Jonah goes to Jaffa, boards a ship, and sails for Tarshish. A great storm arises. Frightened, Jonah goes to sleep in the ship's hold. The sailors somehow recognize that Jonah is responsible for the storm. They throw him overboard, and the sea becomes calm.

A great fish swallows Jonah. Then three days later, God commands the fish to spit Jonah back out upon dry land. God tells Jonah, "Let's try it again. Go to Ninveh and tell them in 40 days I will destroy the city."

The story is a metaphor for our struggle for clarity. Jonah is the soul. The soul is assigned to sanctify the world, and draw it close to God. But we are seduced by the world's beauty. (Jaffa in Hebrew means "beauty.") The ship is the body, the sea is the world, and the storm is life's pains and troubles. God hopes confrontation with mortality will inspire us to examine our lives. But Jonah's is the more common response - we go to sleep (have a beer, turn on the television). The sailors throw Jonah overboard - this is death. The fish that swallows Jonah is the grave. Jonah is spat back upon the land - reincarnation. And the Almighty tells us to try again. "Go sanctify the world and bring it close to God."

Each of us is born with an opportunity and a challenge. We each have unique gifts to offer the world and unique challenges to perfect ourselves. If we leave the task unfinished the first time, we get a second chance. Jonah teaches us that repentance can reverse a harsh decree. If the residents of Ninveh had the ability to correct their mistakes and do teshuva, how much more so do we have the ability to correct our former mistakes and do teshuva.

(source: "The Bible for the Clueless But Curious," by Rabbi Nachum Braverman)

In 1948, Egypt launched a large-scale offensive against the Negev region of Israel. This was part of the War of Independence, an attack by five Arab armies designed to "drive the Jews into the sea." Though the Jews were under-armed, untrained, and few in number, through ingenuity and perseverance they staved off the attacks and secured the borders. Yet the price was high -- Israel lost 6,373 of its people, a full one percent of the Jewish population of Israel at the time.

And what does teshuvah consist of? [Repentance to the degree] that the One Who knows all that is hidden will testify that he will never again repeat this sin(Maimonides, Laws of Teshuvah 2:2).

"How can this be?" ask the commentaries. "Inasmuch as man always has free choice to do good or evil, to sin or not to sin, how can God testify that a person will never repeat a particular sin? Is this not a repudiation of one's free will?"

The answer to this came to me at a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, at which the speaker, a man who had been sober for twenty-one years, said, "The man I was drank. The man I was will drink again. But now I am a different man."

A sin does not occur in a vacuum. A person who is devout does not abruptly decide to eat treifah. A sin occurs when a person is in such a state that a particular act is not anathema to him.

Consequently, repentance is not complete if one merely regrets having done wrong. One must ask, "How did this sin ever come about? In what kind of a state was I that permitted me to commit this sin?"

True repentance thus consists of changing one's character to the point where, as the person is now, one can no longer even consider doing the forbidden act. Of course, the person's character may deteriorate - and if it does, he may sin again.

God does not testify that the person will never repeat the sin, but rather that his degree of repentance and correction of his character defects are such that, as long as he maintains his new status, he will not commit that sin.

Today I shall...

try to understand how I came to do those things that I regret having done, and bring myself to a state where such acts will be alien to me.

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